Is Finnish contemporary poetry written in Burmese?

“We hate war, mother!” is a poetry book by refugee writer based in Finland Ye Yint Thet Zwe (Burma 1964). This book, recently published by Sivuvalo project, is a chant from the exile where the author uses its poetry to void time and distances. His longing for freedom, sadness, protests and nostalgia makes this book a tribute to the freedom of speech and political adversity. The poems, written by the author during his stays in prison and in hospital, are a confession made to his mother against the war, where she represents the purity of an ideal world. “We hate war, Mother!” is the first trilingual edition (Burmese, Finnish and English) of a refugee writer living in Finland. It was translated by Anne Ketola and Sami Häninen.

On an unprecedented move in Finland, Sivuvalo project (www.sivuvalo.com) launches its first non-profit poetry book series called ‘Karu Kartonera’ on behalf of the right that international writers living in Finland must have to publish in their own mother tongue. The collection is a long term publishing cooperation with Stadin Ammatiopisto. Our second book will be a trilingual poetry compilation (Sámi, Spanish and English) of Sámi contemporary writers Niillas Holmberg and Inger-Mari Aikio.

Next August 31st at 6 p.m. we invite you to the presentation of “We hate war, Mother!” at Arkadia international bookshop (Nervanderinkatu 11, Helsinki), where you can meet the author, get your signed copy and also watch the premier of “The Journey of a Broken Bird” a poetry film based on the work of Ye Yint Thet Zwe. Presentation will be held by writer and journalist Mathias Rosenlund.
For more information, please contact at Ana Parra
| Sivuvalo’s Communication Manager

Photo by Jaime CulebroYe Yint Thet Zwe,born 1965 in Yangon, Myanmar, is a Burmese poet Based in Helsinki. In 1988 became part of the student army leaving Burma in 1990 for political reasons, he has resided in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and finally in Finland.
In Tokyo, Ye Yint founded the independent Burmese library ‘Ahara’ with the help of other writers as a way to preserve their heritage.